A Fragmented World Needs More Positive Citizens
Since early August, when I began this series drawing on the Global Risks Report 2025 issued by the World Economic Forum, we have examined several risks, most notably misinformation and disinformation, given their interconnection with all global risks and their role in amplifying them.
Today, I want to address three interlinked challenges whose severity has shifted from long-term risks to urgent realities demanding immediate action.
Based on extensive surveys of experts in academia, business, government, international organisations and civil society all over the world, the annual Global Risks reports aim to inform decision makers about serious threats that significant portions of the globe are expected to face over three timeframes: today, over the next two years, and over the next 10 years.
The 2025 report’s authors note that the impacts of environmental risks have grown in both intensity and frequency since the first Global Risks Report in 2006. Forecasts warn of serious environmental threats over the coming decade. While all 33 risks are projected to intensify within the next two to ten years (through 2027 and 2035), environmental risks show the most significant rise in prominence.
How often have you asked yourself about extreme weather events? The 2025. report provides this insight: “Extreme weather events are anticipated to become even more severe, with the risk ranked first over the next decade for the second year running.”
Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse ranked second over the 10-year horizon in this year’s report, up from third the year before and reflecting a significant deterioration compared to this risk’s 21st-place ranking over the two-year timeframe (see Figure G, “Global Risks Ranked by Severity over the Short and Long Term”).
The report also connects the use of AI tools to global risks, particularly the negative impacts of these technologies—most notably the mass production of false or misleading content and its role in deepening societal polarisation. This is already evident today, as misleading content fuels political and social divisions and heightens the threat of disinformation.
Is it possible to find solutions in a divided world? The report offers a gloomy view: “Deepening divisions and increasing fragmentation are reshaping international relations and calling into question whether existing structures are equipped to tackle the challenges collectively confronting us. Levels of global cooperation across many areas of geopolitics and humanitarian issues, economic relations, and environmental, societal and technological challenges may reach new lows in the coming years. Key countries appear to be turning inward, focusing on mounting domestic economic or societal concerns, just when they should be seeking to strengthen multilateral ties to tackle shared challenges.”
This finding casts a shadow over a multipolar, fragmented, and disintegrated world, where major and middle powers compete, and alternative powers work to solidify their positions. “The decade ahead will be pivotal as leaders will be confronted with increasingly complex global risks,” warns the report. “But to prevent a downward spiral in which citizens worldwide will be worse off than before, ultimately there is no option other than to find avenues for dialogue and collaboration.”
With rising misinformation, polarisation, and fragmentation, opportunities for dialogue and cooperation shrink. Awareness becomes a crucial tool in confronting challenges of this scale in a world of this complexity.
What is needed is a globally minded citizens who meet international standards, understand the needs of their local community, are aware of both challenges and opportunities, and are ready to collaborate in addressing shared global issues. This should be the ultimate goal of any nation. The better a country can connect this vision with its educational outcomes—particularly in higher education—the greater its chances of enduring.
Mohammad El-Hawary
Al-Fanar Media editor-in-chief
News of the Arab Region:
Egypt’s Al-Azhar U. Offers Scholarships for Palestinian Students
The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education has announced the availability of scholarships in all majors, offered by Egypt’s Al-Azhar University for Palestinian students.
According to the ministry, eligibility requirements include a minimum high school grades of 90 percent for medicine, 85 percent for dentistry, 80 percent for engineering and pharmacy, 70 percent for science, 75 percent for law, and 70 percent for other scientific disciplines and humanities. Applicants must be Palestinian nationals who graduated from high school in 2024 or 2025. Students from Gaza who sat for the 2023 improvement exam are also eligible.
These scholarships cover tuition fees, a monthly stipend, and housing, with students responsible for any additional expenses. For more information, click here.
New Issue of AUC’s Arab Media Journal Focuses on Media and Conflict
The journal Arab Media & Society, published by the Adham Centre for Television and Digital Journalism in the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the American University in Cairo (AUC), has announced the release of its 38th issue, titled “Media and Conflict.”
According to the university, this issue features articles that examine complex questions surrounding conflict and war from a media perspective. It includes studies by researchers from the Arab world and beyond, covering topics such as media discourse on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, representations of women, journalists’ perspectives on the conflict, and media coverage of the Syrian crisis, both on the ground and through digital platforms. Other articles explore the impact of digital media on Syrian refugees in Turkey, and research on hyperreality and fake news in the context of the conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine.
You can read the entire issue here.
New Genetic Maps to Enhance Treatments for Underrepresented Groups
A joint research team from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Tufts University, in the United States, and the Japan Institute for Health Security has developed the first pangenome maps for the Saudi and Japanese populations, providing a more accurate genetic reference for these two groups, which are underrepresented in global genetic databases. This achievement is expected to improve healthcare quality for the Saudi and Japanese communities.
In a news release, KAUST said the research addresses a major gap in global genetic representation, as existing internationally recognised maps do not include genetic characteristics for people of Arab or Japanese descent, meaning they were constructed without representation from almost 10 percent of the world’s population.
Robert Hohendorf, a professor in KAUST’s Center of Excellence for Smart Health and a co-author of the study, explained that building these new maps using samples from two genetically distinct populations offered an opportunity to examine how differences between reference and target populations affect health, yielding important new insights.
Another researcher involved in the study, Malak Abedalthagafi of Tufts University, wrote in Nature Middle East: “This new combined graph includes more than 11 million single-letter DNA changes, expanding the known collection of human genetic differences compared to older reference genomes.”
U. of Sharjah, Blockchain Company to Collaborate in Studies
The University of Sharjah and Binance Academy, the educational arm of the Binance blockchain and cryptocurrency platform, have signed an agreement that seeks to strengthen collaboration in blockchain research, education, talent development, and innovation.
In a news release, the university said the agreement aims to equip students and researchers with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to lead in the blockchain and Web3 research. The two parties will collaborate on developing specialized academic programmes, joint research projects, capacity-building workshops, and hackathons. The agreement will also enable student internship placements, support startups, and open the door for expert exchanges and industry-driven mentorship programmes.
Maamar Bettayeb, the university’s vice chancellor for research and graduate studies, said the partnership would allow the university to integrate industry expertise into its innovation ecosystem and prepare graduates to lead in the fast-evolving blockchain sector.
University of Sharjah headquarters in the UAE (WAM).
MESA Raises Concern over Political Control of Turkish Universities
The Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) has expressed “profound concern” over a new law in Turkey that reinstates presidential authority to appoint university rectors, despite a Constitutional Court ruling that declared the practice unconstitutional.
In a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, MESA warned that such political control eroded university autonomy, damaged public trust, and threatened scholarly excellence. The association cited a history of growing politicisation of rector appointments in Turkey since Erdoğan’s emergency decrees following a failed 2016 coup abolished university elections and eligibility requirements for the post.
MESA’s letter notes that many rectors appointed under the current system have political ties to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), with some accused of undermining academic freedom, dismantling faculty governance, and punishing dissenting staff and students. MESA says the July 2025 omnibus law reversing the court’s decision not only undermines judicial authority but also jeopardises academic freedom during Turkey’s ongoing constitutional reform debates.
Events and Conferences:
Digital Universities Arab World 2025, 16-18 September 2025, Muscat. The conference is dedicated to digital innovation and the transformation of higher education in the Arab world, exploring the role of AI in education, the digital student experience, and smart campus design.
Egyptian Knowledge Bank Workshops. Free online workshops are now available for undergraduate students, researchers, and faculty members. View the schedule here.
AI as Driver for Financial Inclusion in Jordan: An Academic Perspective
The growing use of artificial intelligence applications in the financial sector presents a historic opportunity for promoting financial inclusion in Jordan, writes Rasha Istaiteyeh, a professor of economics at the Hashemite University. Using AI applications to close the gap in access to financial services is not a technological luxury, she argues, but rather an effective tool for advancing broader financial and economic justice, and making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and communities. Read more here.
Opinion:
Is It OK to Use AI in Scientific Research? Nature Survey Reveals Deep Qualms
The journal Nature recently surveyed more than 5,000 academics around the world to find out which uses of AI they considered ethically acceptable, and found scientists deeply divided on this issue. The results point to profound concerns about the future of scientific inquiry and the ethical principles that underpin it, writes the Iraqi scholar Mohamed Al-Rubeai. He calls for immediate, decisive action by academic institutions, publishers, and research bodies to establish a clear ethical and legal framework governing the use of AI in scientific writing. Read more here.
Tips and Resources:
Extra Skills Engineering Students Now Need to Get a Job
In a world of accelerating digital transformation, a university degree in engineering alone is no longer enough for a promising career because of the ever-changing demands of the job market.
It is now crucial for engineering graduates to explore available career paths and practice the additional skills that can increase their chances of success in the job market. In this article, Al-Fanar Media looks at the most in-demand engineering jobs and how to bridge the gap between education and the job market.
Podcast:
This episode of Al-Fanar Media Podcast offers school and university students advice on effective studying to help them reach their academic goals.
Some of the tips highlighted in the new podcast episode include having a dedicated study area, minimising distractions like social media, and establishing a consistent daily schedule for all your activities, including regular hours for waking up, having meals, and study sessions. This will help stimulate the mind and signal that it is time to focus on studying.
Scholarships:
Chevening Scholarship for Master’s Study in the UK. If you’re seeking a scholarship to pursue a master’s degree at a British university, the Chevening Scholarship is one of the best options available.
The government-funded Chevening Scholarship offers outstanding individuals the chance to undertake a one-year taught master’s programme at any accredited U.K. university. With over 57,000 alumni worldwide, the programme equips its scholars with a world-class education, valuable professional networks, and the leadership skills to drive positive change in their home countries. Explore details of this award and other scholarships available to Arab students on Al-Fanar Media’s scholarship database.